A BYZANTINE GOLD SIGNET RING WITH CRUCIFORM MONOGRAM, CIRCA ...

Estimate

£2,500 - £3,000

A BYZANTINE GOLD SIGNET RING WITH CRUCIFORM MONOGRAM, CIRCA 6TH-8TH CENTURY AD. -

A hand-wrought high-carat yellow gold signet ring of the Byzantine period. The object features a flat, irregularly octagonal bezel joined to a faceted shank with an octagonal cross-section and a hammered finish. The bezel is deeply engraved in intaglio with a cruciform monogram, a design used for personal identification and as a seal. The central cross features flaring terminals. Within the four fields created by the cross are engraved Greek characters: a C at the top, a Theta (�) to the left, a K to the right, and a Delta (Δ) or Alpha (A) at the base. This specific arrangement of characters is typically interpreted as the proper name Theodoros. 

4.17g